Islamic expert to discuss the Shia Revival

October 11, 2007

Vali Nasr, an Iranian-American expert in contemporary Middle Eastern affairs and Islamic politics, will discuss the subject of his latest book “The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future” at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 in Wait Chapel at Wake Forest University.

Nasr is professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, a non-partisan think-tank on foreign policy. He is professor and chair of research in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. Additionally, he is a Senior Fellow at Belfer Center at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Carnegie Scholar. In 2006, Nasr was called to advise the U.S. president and vice-president, secretaries of state and defense, the National Security Council and deputy secretary of state. He has also testified before Congress.

Nasr says the fighting between Shia factions in Iraq is purely political. “There is no deep ideological divide here. There are no disputes over a form of government or Shia theology.” Nasr says what they’re fighting for is “the control of various Shia cities, the trade routes, control of government services and resources."

Nasr’s lecture is sponsored by the Wake Forest Department of Religion. It is free and open to the public.